The mystery of the Panther
by stupidfullnusshead
Summary: It's Rons 6th year at Hogwarts and his fellings for Hermione are becoming more aparent, but he is also worried about Harry being so quiet and secretive and to top it all off they are sure there is a death eater in the school.....
1. Chapter 1: Back at Hogwarts

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Harry potter (apart from the books I have bought)

**Warning **OotF Spoilers! Basically don't read if you haven't read Order of the Phoenix.

Here is the 1st chapter of my 1st fan fic, Enjoy!

**Chapter 1: Back at Hogwarts.**

It had been a long summer and Ron was glad it was over and he was able to go back to Hogwarts. He was fed up of not being able to communicate properly with his friends just in case their letters fell into the wrong hands. He knew Harry must be feeling very cut off from all information but even he knew next to nothing. His parents wouldn't tell him what was going on it the order, they told him he was too young to know too much and that it wasn't important anyway. It was so frustrating to be the second youngest in a large family, everyone seemed to know what was going on but him and his little sister Ginny. If Ron was feeling this frustrated he could not imagine how angry Harry must be feeling, I mean it was Harry's godfather who had died not Ron's. It was Harry's parents, who had been killed off by you-know-who, and Ron's letters would have been of no comfort to him at all.

There was a knock on the door of Ron's bedroom.

"Come on Ron, you had better get up we'll be leaving soon"

Ron clambered slowly out of bed and rubbed his eyes. His room looked strangely empty as a lot of his things had now been packed ready to take to Hogwarts. His trunk and his owl cage were gone and so were all his spell books and his wand. He got dressed and ambled down the stairs wondering how Hermione would look after her holiday in Spain. He supposed she would be beautifully tanned from sitting on the beach in a bikini……. But knowing Hermione she would have been sitting there with a pile of books studying, which ruined Ron's mental image slightly. 

He arrived in the kitchen and sat down. It was unusually quiet for the Weasley household as Ron's family consisted of nine people, but today the only people to be seen rushing around were Ginny and Mrs Weasley. Bill, Charley and Mr Weasley were all busy working for the order (Ron greatly envied them) and Percy was busy at the ministry. Fred and George were off working ####### their joke shop, which was doing remarkably well. They had come to visit them a few times over the summer and each time they were very well dressed and came bearing gifts. Even Mrs Weasley's disapproval didn't stop her from loving the new cookbook, or designer dress robes that they got her. They gave Ron a lot of their new products to try out (and sell, they had given him order forms for students) at Hogwarts, (maybe to get at the new defence against the dark arts teacher, as they needed a new one…again) and a Chudley Cannons signed poster, which was going straight up in his dormitory at Hogwarts.

"Ron! Ron hurry up the taxi is here!"

Ron looked up and saw his little sister Ginny leaving to kitchen. He finished the piece of half eaten toast in his hand and went outside to see his mother talking to the taxi driver, it appeared she knew him well. Ron looked at Ginny questioningly.

"Apparently she knew him as a child, don't ask me how, and he's a squib so set up a wizard's taxi service or something…. I don't know but we'd better get going or we'll be late."

"Oi! Mum! We've gotta get going!" 

**********

They were soon at Kings Cross Station and getting ready to walk through the barrier separating platforms 9 and 10 (this was the only way to get to platform 9 ¾). They all went together as there were only 3 of them. Ron, Ginny and Mrs Weasley all leant against the barrier and came out on the other side and were greeted by the familiar sight of platform 9 ¾ . The noises of students greeting each other and owls screeching were to be heard up and down the platform. Ron hurried onto the train and found Hermione sitting in a compartment with Crookshanks. 

"Hiya."

"Hi Ron! Have you seen Harry? I'm a little worried about him, he didn't seem too happy in his letters. Have you heard anything about what's happening in the order?"

"Um…" Ron didn't know which question to answer first.

"Yes Ron I would like to know what's going on in the order, would you please tell us what you seemed to be unable to tell us in your letters." Harry Potter, Ron's best friend walked into the compartment and sat down opposite him.

"Well? What's been going on?" Harry looked at Ron.

"Umm…. Well you see I don't really know, my parents wont tell me anything, but I'm sure if anything major had happened I would have been told." Ron looked apologetically at Harry and Hermione. "I'm sorry I can't be of any more help."

Hermione put her hand on his knee, " don't worry Ron, we know its not your fault, right Harry?" she looked at Harry who was scowling.

"Yeah, don't worry about it Ron, I'm sure we will be told about anything important" Harry grinned. Ron was glad to see his friends again, he was especially glad that Harry was still capable of a grin. 

"So how was your holiday?"

"It was alright. It was really boring 'cause everyone stayed out of my way, but I really didn't care as I hate being near them as much as they hate being near me. The totally uninformative letters were annoying, but I was glad nothing really bad has happened yet. The only consolation was that I could talk to Mrs Figg about the wizarding world. I did ask about the order, but she wouldn't say anything." 

"Anybody would think we were just nosey little kids who didn't need to know anything about the order, but we are concerned about what happens as well! We all knew Snuffles well, we were all there fighting the death eaters! I think we have a right to know!"

"Yes I know Ron but there is not much we can do about it at the moment, lets just enjoy the journey." Hermione sighed and started stroking Crookshanks.

Throughout the journey Ron told Harry about what had happened in the holidays, including the new things Fred and George had invented and showed him a few. 

"Look there are these really cool, they are talking temporary tattoos! They are so funny, some of them shout insults at people and some of them complement you and some will tell you the answers to your homework! Oh wait look at this its chewing gum that glues your teeth together, you give that one to your enemies. I've also got some exploding tea bags, I'd love to see Trelawney tell your fortune with those! Um… what else have I got? These are funny, they are post its that change around the message written on them so the person who wrote it will be very confused, hee hee…"

The food trolley soon came round and Ron had his usual sandwich's, but as before Harry bought enough to feed the three of them and Ron's sandwiches lay forgotten.  

The countryside rolled by and before long Hermione was suggesting they got into their school robes, as they would be arriving at Hogwarts soon.

The train stopped with a jolt and they all clambered off. They could hear the familiar voice of Hagrid calling "Firs' years this way!"

Ron, Harry and Hermione went in the opposite direction to the carriages that the invisible Thestrals pulled up to the castle.

Ron was very glad to get in to the Great Hall, he was _starving _and it seemed along time since they had eaten on the train. He looked up at the ceiling of the Great Hall, which was bewitched to look like the sky outside (tonight the sky was clear and revealed a new moon and many bright stars). Ron sat at the Gryffindor table with Harry and Hermione on either side of him and looked longingly down at this plate.

Ron's stomach moaned and grumbled all through the sorting that he barely noticed who was being sorted from the first student (Miranda Allen - _Hufflepuff_) to the last (Darren Young - _Gryffindor)_. He was about to faint from lack of food when the Headmaster of Hogwarts stood up.

Professor Dumbledore though very old gave an air of authority and power and the whole school went silent. He smiled around at the school and his long silvery beard shone in the candlelight.

 "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Before we eat I would like to say a few things to you all. I would like to tell you all that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds, a few of our older members may do well to remember that," he smiled, "I would also like you to welcome back Professor Lupin who will be filling the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for a second time, but it will only be for this year as Professor Lupin has other commitments. So without any further ado lets eat."

The golden plates and goblets in front of them were suddenly filled with food and drink. Ron grabbed as much food as he could manage and started gobbling it down as quickly as was possible. 

"I didn't know Lupin was coming back as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, didn't he say he couldn't come back now people knew he was a werewolf." Hermione looked at Harry.

"Yeah, he did say that but maybe Dumbledore couldn't find anyone else. Its not like it's a bad thing though, he is the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we have ever had." 

  Hermione looked at the ceiling. "Mmm, but Dumbledore did mention that he has got other commitments," she lowered her voice and lent towards Harry and Ron, "I think he's referring to the order, so why is he here instead of helping the order?"

"I dummo" said Ron, spraying Hermione with food ("Ron!!" Hermione shrieked). Ron swallowed, "maybe he's been sent to keep an eye on Harry after… you know, to help him."

Both Ron and Hermione looked at Harry who was staring at the remains of his meal.

Harry shrugged "He could be in fact I hope he will give me a chance to talk about it with him as I've not really been able to talk about it since, since..………." His voice tailed off. Ron decided not to press the matter and apparently so did Hermione as she had suddenly started pointing vigorously at the entrance to the Great Hall.

Ron's head turned towards the door and so did many other's because slinking through this door was a very large cat that was completely black, apart from the end of its tail, which was pure white. Ron and everyone else in the Great Hall watched this over sized cat prowl across to the teacher's table, walk strait up to Professor Lupin and nuzzle its head on his arm. Lupin scratched this cat behind the ears apparently unaware that everyone in the hall was looking at him in amazement.

A few seats down Ron heard Dean whispering, "How can he stroke that thing! Look how big it is. I'll bet it could do loads of damage with those teeth and those claws!"

Ron looked at the cat, it was indeed as Dean has described it, very big with sharp teeth and claws. He wondered if it was a creature that Lupin expected them to defend themselves against, he didn't fancy his chances against that thing. Just then Lupin stood up. Ron's thoughts were gone and he moved his attention to Lupin.

"I can see you are all very interested in my companion here," there was a murmur of agreement around the hall, "I was going to introduce her in my lessons to each class but it looks like I will be able to do so now instead. This is Midnight and she is, as you may have guessed, a panther. She will be with me most of the time I am here, including all of my classes. I would like to warn students not to tease her or to do anything to offend her as it may result in some retaliation on her part, but" he looked around, "but she will not harm anyone who does not do what I have just warned you not to do, in fact I do believe that many of you will grow to like her tremendously as she has a very friendly nature and is quite cuddly." Lupin sat down.

  The chatter slowly started again in the hall as people moved onto desert (which had appeared in front of then whilst Lupin was talking). Ron took some strawberry cheesecake and started to eat.

Hermione took some apple crumble. "I wonder why Lupin's being accompanied by a panther this year? I wonder if this has anything to do with _you-know-what_" 

"My mum did tell me that they had managed to get many more people working for the _you-know-what_ now they believe _you-know-who _is back."

"Um, Ron" Harry interrupted, "I think you will find that a panther is an animal not a human."

"Oh yeah, good point Harry."

Ron finished his cheesecake deep in thought, _what is with the panther?  _The crumbs on his plate soon dissolved and Dumbledore gave the word for them to leave. Ron, Harry and Hermione approached the teachers table to talk to Lupin but many students had beaten them to it. They were all very interested in Midnight and were crowding round her and Lupin. The three of them walked out of the hall and up to the Gryffindor common room. They reached the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them for the password. Ginny came up behind them and said "unicorn". The portrait swung open to reveal the Gryffindor common room full of comfy armchairs. Ron was suddenly feeling really tiered. He and Harry climbed the spiral staircase and reached their familiar, circular dormitory. Ron changed and collapsed onto his four-poster bed feeling full and happy to be back among his friends. Ron was so tiered he really didn't want to wonder about Lupin's new friend. He decided he could ask Lupin later as they were sure to have a lesson with him soon.     

---This is the first chapter(of many) of my first ever fan fic! I hope you like it and will want to read the rest, I have tried to write it in a JK-ish style, reviews would be helpful so I can improve my next chapter's! (sorry about any stupid spelling or grammatical errors{dyslexia})---


	2. Chapter 2: Meet Midnight

Ok here is chapter 2, there are many more to come.

**Chapter 2: Meet Midnight.**

Ron got handed his new timetable the next day at breakfast. He glanced down at it and groaned. 

"Why do I still take Divination? I really think I'm gunna fail that subject as I have no idea what any of it is on about"

"You should have dropped it like I did" said Hermione, examining her own timetable.

"You say that every year Hermione and then you go on about your wonderful Arithmancy, well this year I don't want to know!" 

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Fi-"

"Hey you two stop bickering, we've got double Defence Against the Dark Arts last, look." when he said the last word Harry pointed at his timetable.

Hermione looked at her own timetable "Oooh, now we can talk to Lupin about his new feline friend!" 

Ron raised his eyebrows at her. Why did she always have to sound like she had swallowed a textbook? He didn't understand it. For one thing it would be really hard to remember all of these different words and secondly it would be even harder to put them into a sentence. Why couldn't Hermione speak normally? Ron tried to imagine Hermione talking like a rapper or something. It made him laugh. It wasn't right. It wasn't the Hermione he knew and adored. Yes, the Hermione he adored was sitting right in front of him finishing her breakfast.

"Yo! Ron!"

Ron looked round.

"Come on, we've got to get to Transfiguration, McGonagall will kill us if we're late!"   

 Ron stood up and followed Harry and Hermione out of the Great Hall and through the corridors to Transfiguration.

McGonagall's lesson was really dull, she made them write down what they were planning to learn that year for their NEWTs next year. She had told them that if they had a list of things they needed to learn for their exams then they would be able to refer back in case they wanted to go over something again or they weren't sure what to revise. Ron thought it was completely pointless because if he needed to go over anything he would just ask Hermione.

Ron spent most of the lesson flicking bits of paper at Harry and Harry spent most of the lesson flicking paper at Ron. Hermione, who was sitting next to Ron, kept tutting at them and telling them to get some work done, but Ron just laughed at her and carried on flicking his bits of paper at Harry.

After transfiguration they had Divination so Ron and Harry had to say goodbye to Hermione and head for the North Tower. Ron and Harry took their usual places. Professor Trelawney emerged out of the shadows and announced, that they too, were to write up what they would be learning for the next year and a bit. Not again, thought Ron. The fumes emanating from the fireplace made him drowsy and he found his mind wondering somewhere else. 

Ron found himself in the Gryffindor Common Room sitting in one of the armchairs staring at the fire. He herd footsteps and someone said "Hello gorgeous". He looked up and there was Hermione Granger wearing a silky summer dress, looking very _very _lovely, or so Ron thought. He looked into her eyes and smiled. 

"Wow, you look amazing!" he told her. He smiled again. He watched her lower herself onto his lap and felt her wrap her arms around his neck. She looked straight into his eyes.

"Thank you Ron, I've been waiting to hear that for a long time." She lent towards him. Ron could feel her breath on his face. She got closer. Her nose was almost touching his and Ron leant in.

"Ron, _Ron!_" Ron found himself being shaken back to reality by Harry. Damn Harry, he thought, why couldn't he give him just one more moment? _Why?_

"Ron quick look like your working, Trelawney's coming this way!"

Ron grabbed his quill and franticly started copying the notes in front of him. Professor Trelawney peered over his shoulder at his work and sighed. "Mr Weasley, I would like to think you could be a little more productive than this in a lesson. I will have to set this as your homework" she sounded a lot like Professor McGonagall than her usual airy self.

**********

"Damn! I can't believe I have to do that for homework!" Ron stalked down the corridor with Harry to the library. They were meeting Hermione in there. When they got into the library Ron slammed his bag down on the table Hermione was sitting at.

She jumped. "Oh, Ron what's the matter?" she looked up at him concerned. 

Ron looked at her, she looked so wonderful and caring, he couldn't stay mad at the fact he didn't get to finish his fantasy. "Nothing," he muttered, "don't worry about me." He smiled at her. Harry rolled his eyes and sat down. Ron got his homework out of his bag and also sat down. He hurriedly finished it just before they had to go to next lesson. In this lesson (History of Magic) they had to make notes on what Professor Binns told them about what they were learning for the next year.

"Not again" Ron whispered to Harry. They tried to write notes but usual flat drone of Professor Binns speaking made them fall into a state of stupor, they occasionally came round to manage to write a few notes before dozing off again.

By the time lunchtime arrived Ron was famished. He ate enough to feed a small army and he didn't do it in a very civilised way.

"Ron I do wish you could manage to eat like a human once in a while" said Hermione who was eating as fast as she could manage and still looked decent. 

As soon as they were done they rushed off with all the other 6th year Gryffindor students so they could arrive early for their next lesson, double Defence Against the Dark Arts. They were all very exited about having Lupin back. He was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher they had ever had. A lot of them were also curious about the Panther who he had not been seen without since they arrived at school. Whenever he went anywhere they would always see the big cat not far behind. He even took it into the Great Hall during meal times and Ron had seen him sneak a piece of steak to her under the table that lunch time. The whole class was buzzing when the bell went. The door opened and the class filed in. Harry, Ron and Hermione all managed to get front row seats. Lupin stood in front of the desk and looked around at all the eager faces. 

"Welcome back sir!" The entire class welcomed Lupin back to his post and he smiled.

"Thank you very much. I am indeed glad to be back."

"Why did you leave sir if you were only going to come back?"

"Yeah you could have saved us from having that toad Umbridge last year!"

Lupin sighed and waved a hand, "ok now settle down. I left because I didn't think people would accept me after I had be revealed as a werewolf and I came back because Dumbledore was desperate." Lupin looked behind him, "now up on the board are a list of thinks we will be doing this year, I would like you to copy them down please."

A groan was herd from the whole class.

"But sir," objected Seamus "that's all we've been doing all day"

"I'm sorry but that's what has to be done."

So for the 4th time that day Ron wrote down what they were planning to learn that coming year. He was exceedingly fed up of all this copying down, it was making his wrist ache more than anything. Harry passed him a note. _Remember we want to know about the panther. _Oh yeah, Ron had forgotten about that. Come to think of it, where was the panther?

Something sprung onto the desk making everyone in the class jump. It was the _panther!_  Ron gaped at it. It looked a lot more powerful and a lot more overwhelming close up. Its coat was a deep black and looked incredibly soft and shiny where it caught the light. The white on the end of its tail was an amazing contrast from the black and looked incredible. But perhaps the most amazing thing of all about this creature was its eyes. Its deep brown eyes, like huge gateways to her soul. These eyes made the panther very humanlike as they seamed to show her emotion. As Ron looked into them he thought she looked very wise, but very troubled, as if she had a huge weight on her shoulders. Ron felt sorry for her and wished there was something he could do to help.

"Everybody, this is my good friend Midnight." Lupin introduced her and started to stroke her lovingly. He looked around the class. Everyone was looking at him awe struck. Evidently they had never seen a panther this close before and had never seen one as tame as this either.

Lavender raised her hand. "Please sir, now that we have finished copying the notes down can we come and meet Midnight a bit more personally and maybe, maybe stroke her?

Lupin looked at Midnight as if to get her consent and then nodded. There was a rush of people who surrounded Midnight and she backed away.

"Wait! Don't surround her like that or she will get vicious" everyone backed away, "I see we will have to take turns in getting to know Midnight. Now Lavender can go first as she was the one who asked. Come on Lavender, she won't hurt you."

Lavender approached Midnight carefully. She put out a hand to stroke her head. Midnight looked up at Lavender, she looked quite worried. Midnight moved forwards a little and let Lavender stoke her head. Lavender was encouraged by this and relaxed a little, she started stroking less stiffly. Midnight closed her eyes and gave a low purr. 

Lavender gave a little squeal of delight, "ooooh! She purred! Did you hear? She purred!" Parvati clapped and came forward to meet Midnight. When it was Neville's chance to come and stroke Midnight he was very worried because he didn't have a lot of luck with these things. 

Seamus tried to give him a bit of advice. "Don't be frightened, they can smell fear!" This didn't help  Neville at all, in fact he shook even more. He walked up to her very cautiously shaking all over. Ron watched feeling sorry for poor Neville, he looked at Midnight, and he could have sworn he could see pity in her eyes. She moved forwards and nuzzled her head against his hand. This at first startled Neville and he pulled his hand away. Then he realised that she was being friendly and soon he had his arm around her and was snuggling into her fur. 

"Would Ron, Harry and Hermione like to stroke Midnight?" Ron looked up at Lupin and walked towards Midnight. She was really big and quite intimidating up close. Ron felt quite nervous at being this close to this very quick and powerful beast, but if Neville could do it surely he could to. He watched as Hermione bent down to touch Midnight, she smiled as she stroked Midnight's glossy fur. _It looks easy enough_ Ron thought. He moved forwards and put his hand on Midnights head. Her fur was really soft and warm. It felt very pleasant between his fingers and he began running his hands down her back. _It's not so bad, just like stroking a large cat really._ Ron felt quite pleased with himself for being able to stroke Midnight.He watched Harry do the same.

**********

"Wow isn't Midnight lovely?" Ron, Harry and Hermione were all having dinner and were talking excitedly about Midnight. Ron noticed that Harry seamed to be smiling a lot more genuinely than he had since Sirius…….

"I wonder if Hagrid has met her yet? He will love her! Right Ron?" Harry looked at Ron and smiled, Ron liked to see Harry smile. He was so worried about how he must be feeling and he just wished that he would confide in him.

"Yeah, I bet he would. He would probably try and kidnap her!"

They all laughed. This was how Ron liked things, to be at Hogwarts having fun with his friends. No troubles, no worries, nothing to try and solve or defeat. Just him Harry and Hermione having fun. He hoped everything could stay this way, but he secretly knew it would not last.

---this chapter was really hard to write and to end, I hope its ok!---


	3. Chapter 3: Snape’s Defence Against the D...

Ok so this is chapter 3, this has taken me ages to write! It was really difficult.

**Chapter 3: Snape's Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson**

Over the next few weeks the workload Ron had to deal with increased dramatically now the teachers had stopped telling them what they had to do for the NEWTs and had started them doing it. Ron had to work incredibly hard to scrape an A (acceptable). This may have been because he had restarted Quidditch training. Last year Ron had become Gryffindor's Keeper in the wizard game of Quidditch, he had helped them win the cup and now he was training hard hoping to do the same this year. 

Ron had never had to juggle Quidditch and homework before last year and he had forgotten how hard it was. Every evening he and Harry came back from Quidditch training warn out. They would then have to sit down in the common room and do the homework they had been set that day. This usually took several hours. By the time he had finished all that Ron was so warn out he would just go to bed.

On one of these very tiring nights Ron found himself to be the only one left in the common room when he finally finished his potions homework. He stretched and looked around the room. Paper was littered about the place (probably the order forms Ron had given out for Fred and George's new inventions) and the fire was burning low. Ron yawned and started to put his things away.

"Would you like me to check that for you?"

Ron nearly jumped out of his skin. Hermione sat down next to him and started to read through his homework.

"Jeez Hermione, you scared me to death!"

"Oh, I'm really sorry Ron I didn't mean to, I only wanted to help and I thought you might like some company, I am really really sorry Ron but I….." 

"It's ok Hermione, just breathe." Ron put his hands on her shoulders and looked straight at her. She clamed down and looked straight back. They sat there for a while just staring into each other's eyes. Hermione blushed and looked away.

"Um… so yeah, I will check this for you." Ron took his hands away from her shoulders and she re-started checking his homework.

Ron sat there watching her. She really was beautiful. He hair was catching the light of the fire and made her look amazing. She continued checking his homework. She bit her lip in thought. She looked really cute when she did that. Ron smiled, he liked this, him and her alone together. He wondered if he would have the guts to tell her how he felt.

"All done!" Hermione put the piece of homework down. She turned to Ron. She looked at him as though deep in thought. Ron raised an eyebrow at her and frowned.

"What?"

"Hmm, oh nothing." Hermione blushed and looked down.

"Why were you looking at me like that?" Ron asked trying to look at Hermione.

"Like what? I-I wasn't looking at you."

Ron grinned "yes you were, you looked at me as though you were thinking about something"

"W-w-was I? I hadn't noticed." Hermione mumbled. She had her hands in her lap and she was trying to hide her face under her hair by bowing her head. Ron put his hands on hers. She peered up at him through her hair and gave a smile. Ron leant forwards so his nose was touching the hair hiding her face.

"Why are you hiding from me Mione?" he whispered. Hermione's gaze met his. She started playing with his hands, which were resting on hers.

"Because, I…." Hermione stopped and took her hands away, a noise from the dormitories had distracted her. Both she and Ron looked at the door to the staircase. Ron got up and went to the door. He climbed the stairs and heard Hermione follow. The noise seemed to have come form his dorm. He pushed open the door and saw Neville, Dean and Seamus crowding around Harry's bed. When Ron got closer he saw Harry lying on the floor next to his bed, eyes wide open drenched in sweat.

"Harry what happened?"

Harry sat bolt upright. "Its Voldemort, Ron, he's just sent two of his best Death Eaters on a very important mission."

**********

Ron kept glancing over at Harry during breakfast. He wondered if what he had seen he saw by accident and it had really happened, whether it was a nightmare or if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named wanted him to see it. Harry hadn't said anything about it since last night so they weren't talking about it .Ron looked over at the teacher's table.

"Where are Lupin and Midnight?" he strained his neck to get a better look.

"There was a full moon last night." Said Hermione simply, "he must be recovering from it."

"Oh, so who do you reckon will be teaching us today?"

"I don't know Ron, you will have to just wait and see. Don't you think that waiting to find out something, the anticipation makes the thing a lot more special." She glanced at him and smiled, then he could have sworn she winked at him. Was she referring to last night?

"What the hell, Hermione? It's a teacher teaching a lesson how can that be special?" Harry looked at her puzzled. "Do you think some fit teacher like Lockhart is going to be teaching us or are you just losing the plot?"

"Lupin's not that bad looking….." Hermione muttered. Ron and Harry both looked at her.

"Oh look at the time we had better get to our lesson!" Hermione walked briskly out of the hall.

"What's with Hermione today?" Harry asked Ron.

"I a… I don't know"

Harry was quiet the whole day and so was Hermione. Ron found it very hard to make conversation. They both seamed to be avoiding his eye. He supposed Harry was doing that so he didn't have to talk about the dream he had and Hermione must be doing it because she embarrassed herself a bit at breakfast. 

Just before Defence Against the Dark Arts he managed to say to her, "so who do you recon will be teaching us then? Will it be really special now I've had to wait all day to find out or would it be even more special if I found out even later on, like tonight say?" Hermione blushed and followed the rest of the class into the classroom.

Ron sat down in his usual seat and at the front of the class he saw Professor Snape standing there with his arms folded. _Snape would be taking the lesson today, why does he have to come and annoy us more than is necessary? _thought Ron. Snape stood at the front of the class and waited for everyone to settle down, once they had done so he glared at them all. He paced up and down the class just looking at everyone. It was really creepy. He went to the front of the class (again, _is he trying to walk round the room as many times as he can?_  wondered Ron) and started to say something about the work they had been set, when he was interrupted by the door opening. The whole class turned round to see who it was.

"Yes? Who is it? Who is disrupting this lesson?" Snape snapped at the person he supposed was at the door. But when he looked towards the door he saw no person. "Irksome students, they think its funny to go around opening doors and disturbing lessons…." Snape swept across the classroom towards the door and found Midnight closing it with her back leg. He started back. She stood there and looked at him with her unblinking gaze. The whole class sat and watched with bated breath. Ron hoped that Midnight would pounce and knock Snape to the ground and maybe even maul him. He knew how Snape hated the marauders and he thought that maybe Midnight would show some hatred back, as Lupin would not. 

Snape crouched down so he was at Midnights level. He looked intently into her eyes. Snape leant forward and wrapped his arms around Midnights neck, he _hugged her!_ Ron gasped sure Midnight would retaliate to this, but instead of roaring and ripping his arms off she licked him on the cheek! Ron was amazed. He was even more amazed when Snape wiped the drool off his face he _smiled! _Ron had never seen Snape smile before and here he was smiling because he had been licked by a panther. The whole class seamed to be in a state of shock.

"So as I was saying Professor Lupin has left you some work to do so I will write it up on the board and you can get on with it." Snape then sat behind the desk and started stroking Midnight, who was lying on top of the desk.

Ron started doing the work and scribbled a note to Harry _what's with Snape being **nice**? _Harry read Ron's untidy scrawl and shrugged. During the rest off the lesson Ron could hear Snape talking to Midnight but he couldn't quite make out what he was saying.

When the bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson Snape said "Potter I would like to speak with you for a moment please, the rest of you may leave."

Ron and Hermione lingered outside the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom waiting for Harry to finish talking to Snape.

"What do you think Snape wants Harry for?" Hermione asked.

"Not sure, we'll have to ask him when he gets out." Ron paused. "Mione, what were you going to say las-"

Harry stormed out the room knocking Hermione over so her bag fell off her shoulders and all her books fell out. Ron caught her.

"Sorry Hermione, didn't see you there." Harry apologised.

"What did Snape want Harry?"

"He told me that Dumbledore thinks I should start Occlumency again because of that nightmare I had last night. So now on top of everything else I have to go to Snape's office two times a week, starting tonight, to let him look into my memories."

"Well I'm sure Dumbledore wouldn't make you do this if he didn't think you nee-"

"Shhhhhhhh" Harry interrupted Hermione and put his ear against the door. "Listen, Snape's talking to someone."

Ron put his ear against the door. Snape was talking to someone all right, maybe it was Midnight again, but wait he heard a voice reply, it sounded like a female voice. Ron caught some of their conversation.

"I can't believe how much you have changed, you are even more beautiful than ever and a lot more skilled in magic I see."

"Oh Severus stop it! You know I've been working hard at my magic, especially my potion making, you know I need to be a good potion maker for this job."

"Yes, I was told to help you out if you needed any resources whilst you were here."

"Thank you Severus that will be very helpful."

Ron thought they must have hugged just then because there was a rustle of clothing and a pause in the conversation. He looked at Harry and Hermione who were both looking as confused as he was. They heard footsteps coming to the door and hurriedly started picking up Hermione's books, which were scattered all over the floor.

The door opened and Snape walked out. "What do you three think you are doing? Students are not supposed to linger in the corridor after lessons."

"But sir Hermione dropped her books and we were-"

"I don't want to hear it Weasley. Ten points from Gryffindor. Now get going before I deduct any more." With that Snape stalked off down the corridor.

Ron, Harry and Hermione started walking towards Gryffindor tower wondering whom it was Snape had been talking to. As they were walking Midnight passed them.

Harry whispered. "You know she was the only other thing in there apart from Snape. Where did that woman come from?"

"Dunno maybe she apparated or something." Ron suggested.

"How many time Ron? You cannot apparate or disapparate in side the Hogwarts grounds! Why don't you read 'Hogwarts a History?' "

"Because there is no point, you can tell us everything that is in there as you know it inside out!" Ron grinned at Hermione.

"Maybe they were just talking but she wasn't really there, in the room, like how Sirius…….how, how he used floo powder to talk with us last year…" Harry stopped talking and looked at the floor. Ron thought he might have been trying to stop tears from rolling down his cheeks. The conversation stopped and the three of them walked in silence back to Gryffindor Tower.

**********

Ron yawned. It was late. Harry had come back from doing Occlumency with Snape about half an hour ago. He had told Ron he was warn out and had gone straight to bed, Ron was the last person in the common room again. Crookshanks jumped on his lap and Ron stroked him absentmindedly. Ron's mind travelled back to last night, what was Hermione going to say to him? He wished he knew. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he didn't hear the door creek shut, or the footsteps coming towards him. He only noticed Hermione when she sat next to him and put her hand on his leg. Ron was jerked out of his thoughts.

"Oh, hiya Hermione, I didn't see you there."

"Hi Ron I was- I was just looking for Crookshanks, oh and here he is." Hermione smiled weakly. 

"Yeah, well here's Crookshanks." The conversation stopped and there was an awkward silence. Crookshanks jumped off Ron's knee. He started drumming his fingers on the table, Hermione put her hand on the hand he was using to drum his fingers. He stopped and looked up into her eyes.

"Mione I-"

"Shhhh." Hermione put her finger on Ron's lips. "I need to say what I wanted to say yesterday, Ron I-I, oh this is hard, Ron I really like you. I know we've been friends for ages and this could ruin that friendship but I just can't hide it any more, I really really like you Ron." She sighed. "There I've said it, that's a relief."

"Wow, Mione I never realised you felt that way." He took both of her hands and kissed one. "I really like you Mione." He smiled at her.

Hermione threw her arms around his neck. Ron was shocked, but put his arms around her hoping it was the right thing to do. "Ron I'm so glad. I was so afraid I was going to make a fool of myself. Why did you never say anything is you felt the same way I do?" she settled her self on his knee.

"Because I thought you liked Viktor Krum."

"Viktor?"

"Yeah, because you were still sending him letters and I thought you might have gone to see him over the holidays."

"Ron, Viktor and I are just friends and I defiantly haven't seen him over the holidays! I think one of the reasons I agreed to go to the Yule Ball with him was to get you to notice me, and it worked didn't it?" Ron thought back. Yes it did make him notice her, he saw her in a different light. From all the time before that she had just been their friend but then he realised that she was a girl who was maturing into a very lovely young woman. Since then he never saw her in the same light.

"Yes, it did, and I'm very glad it did. Hey I just thought I don't know when you decided you liked me. I've never seen any sign of you liking me before this."

"I'm not sure I think I realised that I really cared for you when Sirius dragged you into the Whomping Willow and I didn't know what he was going to do to you. But then in the 4th year when it came round to the ball, for some reason I hoped you would ask me, but you didn't even realise I was there to be asked. I got so mad that I accepted Viktor's invitation in the hope that you would notice me, and here we are back to where the conversation started."

"Yeah……." Ron looked into Hermione's eyes. She looked really beautiful. He stroked her face with his hand. She closed her eyes and smiled. She hooked her arms around the back of his neck.

"Ron.." she sighed. She lent towards him, so close he could feel her soft breath on his face. Ron could hardly believe this was happening, he had dreamed about this moment for so long. Hermione's nose was now touching his. She ran the tip of her nose along his. Her touch made Ron's body tingle. Ron leant forward and his lips met Hermione's. The kiss was soft. It made Ron want to explode with happiness. When they broke away Hermione giggled and rested her head on his shoulder. Ron sat there and basked in the bliss he was feeling at that moment, Hermione sitting there wrapped around him was how he always wanted it to be.

---Awwwwwwwwwww! Ron and Hermione! yey! The scenes between them were defiantly the hardest bit to write so far, phew!---


	4. Chapter 4: First Date

Yey chapter 4!!

**Chapter 4: First Date**

Ron awoke to find the common room buzzing with excitement. It was the first Hogsmeade trip of the year today. It had been 3 days since that night he and Hermione had declared their feelings for each other. They hadn't told anyone yet but they were hoping to go on a date during the Hogsmeade trip. The only thing was, how would they get rid of Harry? Ron had wanted to tell Harry but he wasn't sure weather he should because he might be jealous. Hermione had told him that Harry was still pining after Cho. Apparently she had managed to arrange for them to get together at Hogsmeade so Ron just had to trust her. He looked around the common room for her and spotted her sitting on the sofa with Harry and Ginny. 

"Hey guys."

"Hi Ron, come sit down" Hermione moved over to make room for Ron. He found himself sandwiched between Harry and Hermione.

"I can't  wait for this trip to Hogsmeade, we can go and see Fred and George! They are coming to visit on business. It will be so much fun." Ginny giggled,  "I haven't seen them for ages."

"I'm hungry, lets go have some breakfast." Everyone agreed with Harry and they all went down for breakfast.

**********

When they got into Hogsmeade they went to Zonko's first. Ron wondered if he would manage to see Fred and George here but they didn't. they looked at the Zonko's products and Ron had to admit that Fred and George's products were at a very close standard to these and he was sure some were better. Their business must be doing really well now he had been giving out order forms at Hogwarts, a lot of the people there seemed very interested in them. 

They bumped into Cho at Honeydukes and Hermione started chatting to her. Ron thought they must have arranged to meet here because they didn't seem to surprised to see each other. Harry tried to shuffle away from them but before he could get to far Cho asked him, "hey Harry! Would you like to go for a walk around Hogsmeade with me?" she put on a sweet smile.

"Uh, yeah sure." Harry managed to grunt and he and Cho walked off. Hermione caught Ron's eye and grinned. She signalled towards the door and they walked out of Honeydukes and headed for the Three Broomsticks.

Ron and Hermione went to a small table in the corner of the room and was slightly sheltered by the plants in pots around it. Ron went to the bar and got some Butterbeer for him and Hermione. He pulled his chair closer to her side and gave her her drink.

"Thanks Ron."

 They drank their Butterbeer in silence. 

"So……."

"Alone at last." Hermione wrapped her fingers around Ron's. he looked up at her.

"Mmmmm." _She looks so beautiful _Ron thought. "Er.., Mione, when are we gunna start telling people about, you know, us, together and stuff." 

"When we are ready, I suppose we can tell people now if we want to."

"Er, ok then." Ron sat there wondering what to do next. This dating stuff was hard. He thought he would feel a lot more comfortable if it was just the two of them together rather than them being specifically on a date. It seamed to make things a lot more awkward. He didn't understand the need for actual dating. Females were very confusing and even harder to please.

Hermione sighed beside him and lent her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her back whilst his other hand was intertwined with hers. Hermione looked up and moved closer to him, Ron leant in for the kiss.

"Hey Ron!" Fred and George walked into the Three Broomsticks closely followed by Ginny. Ron and Hermione quickly broke away from each other so fast you would have thought they had been hit by a Bludger.

"Ron? What were you two doing? You seemed to break away from each other very quickly." Fred sniggered.

"Nothing." Ron muttered going red.

"So why are you going red?" asked George.

Ginny looked from Ron to Hermione and back again. "You were _kissing!_  You were, weren't you Ron? Hermione?" she giggled. "I can't believe you two finally got together!"

Ron and Hermione both went very red.

"Ahhh! Ickle Ronnykins has got a _girlfriend!_"

"Have you got a girlfriend now Ronnykins? Aw my little baby is all grown up!" Fred and George teased Ron, speaking to him in baby voices and trying to pinch his cheeks.

"Oi! Geroff!" Ron, who was now so red he resembled a beetroot, tried to shake his brothers off him. Ginny meanwhile sat down next to Hermione and started asking her about how she and Ron got together. Ron was so embarrassed her wanted the floor to open up and swallow him right then. He had wanted to start telling people about him and Hermione, but not like this.

Fred and George grabbed a chair each and squeezed in either side of Ron.

"Ronny, what will your mummy say about this?" Fred teased.

"You're not going to tell her are you"

"I don't know. Do you think we should Fred?" George said.

"I think she has a right to know!" Fred grinned at Ron who scowled.

"You two had better not say anything to mum, or else I'll – I'll…"

"You'll what Ronnykins?" George asked him. Ron growled and glared at George.

Hermione tutted. "Honestly, you boys! Ron? Does it really matter who knows? And Fred and George, there is no need for you to tease him. I don't see your girlfriends anywhere around here."

"They don't have girlfriends." Ginny told her.

"Well you two can be quiet then." Said Hermione as though it finalised the matter.

Fred and George looked at each other and seemed to decide not to say anything more on the subject. Harry burst through the door of the Three Broomsticks soaked to the skin.

"When did it rain?" Ron asked him.

"It didn't," said Harry glumly. "Cho and I went to that place she used to go to with _Cedric._ What's it called? Oh yeah Madam Puddifoot's. Well we had a drink there and she started talking about Cedric and how she missed him, blah blah, and then she just threw her drink at me! Apparently I was being 'insensitive' but I have no idea what I did wrong!"

"Harry, you really have no idea when It comes to girls do you?" Ginny said. Harry grunted and sat down in between George and Ginny.

"Here Harry, have a Butterbeer on me." George passed Harry a drink.

"So," Harry said. "What have you lot been up to?"

"Well George and I have juts done a great deal with Zonko's, but we cant really tell you too much about that. Its top secret." Fred tapped his nose and winked.

"I just met up with Fred and George." Ginny said.

"What about you Ron? Hermione? what have you two been doing?" Harry looked at the two of them. Ron's ears had started to go red and Hermione had suddenly become very interested in the floor.

Fred sniggered. "Ron's been having a drink with his _girlfriend!"_

Harry looked around the table. "But where is she? The only girls here are Ginny and Hermio-" he stopped in mid sentence and gawped at Ron who got steadily redder. 

"But you – you and – what? – I – err – Hermione? – wha? – why?- when? – ah!" Harry stopped gibbering and just sat there gob smacked.

Fred offered to swap seats with Ron so that he could sit next to Hermione. they swapped and Hermione shuffled closer to him. She wrapped hr arm around Ron's waist and Ron put his arm around hers. Harry goggled at them.

"When did this happen?"

"Well, you know that first night you had Occlumency and I was up late doing homework? Well when I had finished it Hermione came down to check it and, um, well we just got talking and all of our feelings just sort of spilled out."

"Oh, right. Why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked

"Dunno, just waiting for the right time I suppose. It don't change anything between the three of us does it?" Ron said, looking slightly worried.

"It will a bit 'cause your relationship is now slightly different, but then again I'm used to you two flirting with each other now. You've been doing it for a while now."

"You noticed?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

**********

Ron sat in the common room with Hermione, waiting for Harry to get back from talking with Lupin. He had been got for a while now. Ron thought they must have been talking about Sirius. He felt Hermione snuggle up next to him. Ron sat looking at the crackling fire just savouring the moment.

Harry came in through the portrait hole and slumped down next to Ron. "I need to tell you two something." Harry whispered to him. "but we need to wait for the common room to empty."

Ron looked around the room. There was a little group of first years chatting away in the corner and a sixth year doing her homework. The first years soon went up to bed but the sixth year spent another half an hour on her homework. When the three of them were finally alone Harry had forgotten he wanted to say anything. So they had to wait another ten minuets for Harry to remember.

 "Oh yeah, I remember now. I was gunna tell you about what happened when I went to see Lupin. I asked him about Midnight but he only told me that she was his companion. Then I said that Snape seemed to know her well and he said, "Professor Snape, Harry, and yes I suppose he would know her well." When I asked him what he meant he just smiled and changed the subject." Harry paused.

"Why is Lupin being so secretive about Midnight I wonder." Said Hermione. She seemed to be saying this to herself more than to anyone else and looked deep in thought as if she was figuring out something.

"That's not all that happened. When I left the room I heard Lupin talking to someone and I am sure it was the same woman Snape was talking to!"

"What were they talking about?" Ron asked, Hermione still appeared to be deep in thought.

"Well at first he was telling her about how he missed Sirius and she was comforting him. Then they …. Um well – err…."

"They what?"

"Um, they started talking about their feelings for each other. I think someone must have spiked the pumpkin juice because everyone seems to be getting together. First you two and now Lupin and some woman." Harry's voice squeaked. Ron thought he might have been a little jealous.

"I really would like to know who this woman is. She knows Snape very well and she seems to have won Lupin's affection, but we don't know where she's come from. We don't even know if she is a witch, though I have a suspicion that she is." Hermione said.

"I wanna know what's with Midnight?" said Ron.

"Did you say that Lupin said that Snape knew Midnight well?"

"Yeah I did. Why Hermione?" Harry asked her.

"Hmmmm, no reason. I just thought that I need to go to the library to check something."

"That's your answer to everything Hermione, go to the library. I think she must be getting there by floo powder seeing as she cant _apparate in the Hogwarts grounds." _Ron said looking at Hermione.

"Ha ha, very funny Ron," Hermione said narrowing her eyes. "But there is a way we could find out if she has been travelling by floo powder, even thought I'm sure she _hasn't._ All we have to do is perform a charm on the fireplace and it will show us who has been using it in the floo network." 

"And I suppose you know this charm?" Ron questioned.

"Yes I do, thank you very much Ron. What room were they in Harry?"

"It was the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom both times."

"Right so all we have to do is create a diversion so that we can get Lupin and Midnight out of the room  so I can get in there and perform the charm." Hermione said.

"And how do you suppose we manage that?" said Ron.

"Well, I think Harry will be able to create a diversion by telling Lupin he needs to show him something or tell him something somewhere else. Then Ron could stand guard with the marauders map and I could go in and perform the charm."

"Right. So when will we do this?"

"How about Halloween Ron? That's quite soon. In about a week." Hermione suggested.

"Ok"

"Ok"

"Ok" They all agreed to find out about this mystery woman on Halloween.

----I wrote this chapter while I was on holiday tell me what you think!------


	5. Chapter 5: Elda Lukin

Omg this chapter gave me so many writers blocks, I hope it makes sence.

**Chapter 5: Elda Lukin**

In the week leading up to Halloween they saw a lot of midnight. They would either see her carrying Lupin around on her back (he was rather week as it had just been a full moon), or in Snape's lessons. She was almost around Snape as much as she was around Lupin. Lupin was right in saying that Snape knew her well.

**********

On the morning of Halloween when Ron went down to breakfast he saw the Great Hall was decorated for the occasion with many things, including Hagrid's giant pumpkins. Ron sat down with Hermione and Harry at the Gryffindor table.

"So we're going ahead with the plan today, right?" Ron asked.

"Yes, after dinner Harry will start talking to Lupin and we will go to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. So Ron you will need to have the map on you during dinner, which means you will need to get it before." Hermione planned.

Harry and Ron nodded in agreement. 

Through out the whole day Ron's mind was not on his lessons, as it should have been, but on that nights plan. He managed to set fire to the parchment he was trying to erase dots of ink from with his wand.

"Ron!" Hermione cried. "Please be careful with that." She moved her work away from his and extinguished the fire spreading across it.

"Oh sorry Hermione, I'm just not really concentrating at the moment."

"I can see that, be more careful please."

By the time last lesson had ended Ron could think of nothing else but what they were planning to do. He really wanted to know what was going on, and he was quite nervous about what might happen if they were caught, especially by Midnight. His mind went back to the first time he had seen Midnight and how intimidating she had looked and how much damage he supposed she could do. He was starting to feel that way about her again. Just before they went down to dinner Harry got the map and handed it to Ron, who put it in his trouser pocket. The feast was really great and it actually took Ron's mind off the map in his pocket and everything that was attached to fact of it being there. The thing that brought him crashing back to reality was Hermione hissing in his ear after dinner,

"It's time, come on lets get going."

Ron stood up and saw Harry going over to the teacher's table to talk to Lupin. He and Hermione rushed out the door and hurried along the corridors until they got to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Ron pulled out the map, pointed his wand at it and said,

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." From where the point of his wand touched the grubby parchment lines of ink started spreading across it. These lines joined each other, criss-crossed and spread to every corner of the parchment. Then the lines formed words across the top, curly green words that proclaimed:

_Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers_

_are proud to present_

_THE MARAUDER'S MAP _

 Underneath these words the lines drew out a map of Hogwarts and its grounds. This map included all the secret passageways and labelled everyone within this area. Ron glanced down to see that Lupin and Harry were still in the Great Hall. He signalled for Hermione to go into the classroom and she hurried in. Ron looked down at the map again to check that Lupin and Harry were still far enough away. He saw that they were starting to slowly walking towards the door of the Great Hall. He hoped Harry would delay Lupin and Midnight long enough for Hermione to perform the charm and get out again. He looked at the map again. _Wait a moment, _he thought, _where is Midnight? _He scanned across the whole grounds for her then thought that maybe the map doesn't show animals, but he could see Mrs Norris the caretaker's cat prowling around the trophy room. Ron furrowed his brow in confusion. He couldn't see her anywhere, and this worried him slightly. She couldn't have left the grounds that quickly he had only just seen her in the Great Hall with Lupin. While Ron was musing over this Harry and Lupin had made their way up the stairs and were walking slowly down the corridors towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Ron tapped on the door.

"Hermione," he hissed. "You'd better hurry up in there, Harry and Lupin will be here soon." He watched the dots labelled 'Remus Lupin' and 'Harry Potter' get closer and closer to the spot where he was standing. 

He rapped on the door again. "Hermione! Hurry up!" she slid round the door and closed it gently. "I've done the spell and I found out that-" Hermione had to stop in mid sentence because at that moment Lupin, Harry and Midnight came round the corner. Lupin, Harry and Midnight all stopped in front of Ron and Hermione, who were standing by the door to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, looking rather guilty.

"What are you two doing here?" Lupin asked them.

"We saw Harry talking to you and we thought we would be able to catch you here so, so we could talk to Harry." Hermione said. She then smiled a very innocent smile.

"Oh, ok then." Lupin didn't look very convinced but he walked by them into his office anyway. Midnight followed him. As she walked in she examined the three of them standing there with her deep brown piercing eyes. Ron was afraid that she could see right through him, he didn't like it one bit.

As soon as both Lupin and Midnight were in Lupin's office Harry whispered, "So what did you find out?"

"Well we know she's not travelling by floo powder but I think I know ho-"

"Hey you guys! Look at this!" Ron looked at the map and pointed to Lupin's office. Inside were two dots. One was labelled 'Remus Lupin' but the other, instead of being labelled Midnight said 'Elda Lukin'. "But who is she? We only saw Midnight and Lupin go in there no other people and-"

"Oh! You two are so stupid! Isn't it obvious?" Hermione asked, aspirated. Ron and Harry both gave her a blank look. "Argh! Midnight is Elda Lukin and Elda is Midnight! She an animagus! I can't believe how stupid you have been, I've suspected that she was for a long time and have been doing a lot of research to try and find out who she was. Thing is I could find out because she's not a registered animagus so I needed her name which is why I agreed to do this thing."

Ron gazed at Hermione and wondered how she had managed to work all this out, but when he thought about it it was pretty obvious, in fact it was so obvious he wondered why he hadn't seen it himself. He felt really stupid at that moment, everything had pointed to this why didn't he realise. Ron looked at Harry and saw the same look of frustration about not realising the truth, as he supposed he must have on his face.

"You're right Hermione. I have been utterly stupid, I can't believe I didn't notice. I suppose my mind's just been on other things recently." Ron apologised to Hermione and smiled sweetly at her. Hermione smiled back and Harry groaned. They broke their gaze and continued to walk down the corridor. They stopped and Ron found that his feet seemed to have taken him to the library. The three of them went in and sat at a table.

Ron looked over at Hermione. "Erm, Hermione why are we in the library?" 

"So we can look up Elda Lukin, silly!"

"Oh, right, yeah, of course." They spent the rest of the day looking up facts on Elda Lukin. They also spent the next day doing the same thing. And the next, and the next. It took a long time before they found anything because they really didn't know where they had to look. they looked in books such as, _Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, Important Magical Discoveries, Great Wizarding Personalities, Modern Magical History _and_ Wizard World Records. _They even looked in _The Rise and fall of the Dark Arts_ with a faint hope of finding something about her in there_._ But after a month of searching they still found nothing. Ron was giving up hope in ever finding anything at all about this person. Even so Hermione refused to accept that the library did not contain what she was looking for and continued to spend hours on end devouring book after book.

During one of Hermione's library binges Ron came to keep her company. She looked really tired up close and she was holding the book she was reading inches from her face.

"Hermione," Ron moved the book away from her face so he could see her. "I think you are working to ####### this. It seems to be finishing you off on top of all your NEWT work. You need to take a break." 

Hermione looked at him aspirated. "Ron I really need to find this out, what if she's dangerous?"

"If she was dangerous surely Lupin wouldn't let her follow him around everywhere and I'm sure Dumbledore will know about her, so just don't worry about it. Ok?"

Hermione groaned. "Ok I suppose I'll take a break but as the Christmas holidays will be here soon I will be able to spend that time looking for longer."

"But-"

"But nothing, you should be glad that I'm taking a break at all."

Ron knew it was no use arguing with Hermione once her mind was made up so he left it at that. He took her book from her and put it away so she could do nothing else and had to literally drag her out of the library.

"Come one Mione, I haven't spent any time with you, and you alone for a very long time." Ron looked at her with pleading eyes. He could see her giving in, the frown she was wearing was slowly taken over by a smile.

"Ron!" she said in a mock pout stamping her foot, but the smile on a face was still very apparent. "I hate it when you look at me with those eyes!"

"I'm very sorry Mione, but they are the only pair I've got!"

She hit him playfully on the arm. "Stop being silly! You know very well what I mean!" They both laughed and Ron found his hand intertwined with Hermione's. They wondered down the empty corridor hand in hand, and Ron suddenly realised that they weren't heading for the Gryffindor common room.

"Hermione? Erm, the common room is back that way." 

"I know." Hermione grinned a very mischievous grin. Ron was puzzled. It was not often that Hermione would look at him like that. He wondered what was going through her mind. "I thought it would be nice to find somewhere we can be alone." They turned a corner and Ron found himself being lead into the trophy room.

"Hermione? This is the trophy room."

"Yes," Hermione had an odd glint in her eye. "I know Ron, no one will disturb us here." Ron found Hermione arms had wrapped themselves around his waist and that her body was pressing against his. He brushed his hand against her warm cheek and her eyes met his. They stood there locked in their gaze for what could have been hours. Ron leant forward and kissed Hermione softly on the lips. When he broke away Hermione grinned at him.

"Oh Ron!" she squealed. Ron gave her a puzzled look. Surely the kiss wasn't that good. "Ron look!" she jumped up and down and pointed at a plaque behind him. Ron looked and saw it was a list of the Hogwarts prefects and head boys and girls over the years.

"Hermione why-"

"Look Ron, we've found her! We've found Elda Lukin!"

Ron walked towards the plaque on the wall and scanned down the names engraved on it. About half way down he found the name "Elda Lukin". She had been a prefect and head girl for Slytherin at Hogwarts a few years after Harry's father James was for Gryffindor.

"So now we know she came to Hogwarts and she was a Slytherin, that's a big help Hermione!"

"Well it's a start. Surely we can find some student records somewhere."

"Yeah, I suppose." Ron leant toward Hermione ready for another kiss but she just brushed him away. Ron felt rather hurt. He put his arm around her but she shook it off and started walking around the trophy room looking at the names on the cups and shields that were displayed. Ron followed her glumly. She was taking no notice of him, which was quite an insult to Ron as it was supposed to be their time alone together. But once again Hermione was too involved in her research to notice him. He sighed and leant against the wall, watching her. She was so beautiful to him. She crinkled up her nose, she looked so cute when she did that and Ron smiled to himself.

She turned around to look at him and sighed. "I can't find anything else with her name on it but at least this is a start. Come on, let's go find Harry and tell him what we know." Hermione took Ron's hand and lead him back to the Gryffindor common room.

--- I am really sorry for making them all so stupid as not to realise Midnight was an animagus sooner but it just had to be done. Tell me what you think!---


	6. Chapter 6: Snape's Memory

ohh Chapter 6. Things start to get interesting now.

**Chapter 6: Snape's Memory**

In the week before Christmas Ron found that his homework was being given out by the bucket load(especially in potions, they had to remember how to make a bucket full of cleaning solution). He spent almost all his free time trying to get it done, and he never saw Hermione anymore. If she had finished her homework she would be found in the library looking up Elda Lukin. Ron was still cross with her for ignoring him on that night a few weeks ago, and he was getting even madder because she was still ignoring him and putting her Elda research first. Harry seemed to be doing a lot of Elda research too, but at least he still talked to Ron when he could and even told him what he had found, which was always nothing, but they carried on trying just the same.

The day before the Christmas holidays there was a buzz of excitement in the air. Even the 6th years with their piles of homework couldn't fail to be exited. Harry had obviously put his name down to stay for the holidays and Ron and Hermione had joined him, partly to find out more about Elda Lukin as neither Harry nor Ron were having much luck in finding anything about her. Hermione was keeping very secret and wouldn't tell them if she had found anything or not. Ron was moaning about this fact to Harry during the lunch hour when Hermione came bursting in to the Great Hall and ran strait up to them. She stopped and leant against the table to catch her breath. Ron and Harry waited patiently too hear what she had to say. Ron hoped it mite be an apology for the way she had been treating him recently but he knew it wouldn't be.

"I've found something out about Elda that is important! I need to show you two alone."

Harry and Ron hurriedly cleared their plates and followed Hermione out of the great hall. She led them into the library and directed them toward a table littered with parchment. She sat on one of the chairs around the table and signalled for them to do the same, then she buried herself in the masses of parchment and started muttering to herself. Ron gave Harry a quizzical look and Harry returned it. Apparently he was as clueless as Ron. Hermione continued to sift through the parchment and the two lads sat their patiently waiting until she came back to the real world.

"Ah ha! Right, erm, yes…… there we go." Hermione put down the parchment she was holding into a neat pile on the table. "Now here is the stuff I have managed to find out about Elda Lukin, so far."

"Wow Hermione, that's loads of stuff. Where did you get it all from?"

"That is none of your business Ronald Weasley." 

"Tch, fine"

"As I was saying, this is what I've got so far. I think what I will do is tell you the main things I've found out and let you have a look in more detail if you want to. Ok so I started by finding out about her at Hogwarts, and as we already know she was in Slytherin and was a prefect then head girl. I have also found out that she was very good in all her subjects but especially in potions and she had a great interest in the dark arts."

"Oooh! She sounds like Snape!" Ron exclaimed

"She does doesn't she." Harry agreed. "I wonder if they knew each other at school because we know that they know each other from somewhere."

Hermione gave them both an annoyingly knowing look, the superior one she gave them when she knew something they didn't. "Well I also found out that she joined a Defence Against the Dark Arts club that was run by Snape's Slytherin gang, Snape included."

Harry started sniggering.

"What Harry?" Hermione questioned, she may have thought he was laughing at her.

"Nothing, nothing." He managed to say in-between his suppressed laughter. "What does Elda look like? Did you manage to find that out?"

"Actually I did." Hermione shuffled through the many pieces of parchment in front of her and produced a photo of a smiling young lady. She had short, spiky electric blue hair with white tips. Her eyes were deep brown pools, like gateways to her soul. Ron could see now that these were the eyes that belonged to Midnight, the eyes in which he managed to see so much human emotion. In this picture you could see that she was wearing Hogwarts robes with the Slytherin snake on it and above that was a shiny prefect badge.

Harry's laughter increased in both volume and hysteria. He could hardly breath to speak when Hermione asked him what was so funny. "Elda, she, haha, Snape, during, heh, Occlumency I saw, hehehe, I saw Snape, in one of his memories, ogling at a girl near him and she looked exactly like the girl in that picture! Haha, Snape had a crush on Elda!" Harry then burst into a fresh set of giggles and could say no more. 

Ron looked down at the picture of Elda. He could now see why Midnight had a white tip on her tail, it was from the white tips on Elda's spiky hair. As he gazed at this picture he tried to see what Snape might have seen in her and the longer he looked the more he seemed to be drawn into her eyes. Her large chestnut brown eyes were like magnets to his own and he couldn't help but gaze into them. She gazed back and then she gave him a smile that made him melt. There was defiantly something quite hypnotising about her appearance and Ron only managed to brake free of her intent stare when Harry's giggles had died down and Hermione had started talking again. He looked up at Hermione and managed to focus his mind on hearing what she had to say.

"The most interesting thing I managed to find out was that Elda," she leant towards them and lowered her voice to an almost inaudible whisper. "Elda was put on trial for being one of V-V-Voldemort's closest Death Eaters!" 

Ron gasped. Harry stopped showing any form of amusement on his face from before and looked deadly serious. "If she was one of Voldemort's closest Death Eaters why; one, have we never heard of her before and two, is she not in Azkaban?"

"She was cleared, by Dumbledore." Hermione said simply.

"Just like Snape." Ron added.

The three friends sat in silent thought. Ron looked at Elda's picture again, careful not to get draw in by her amazing eyes. How could such a lovely young lady turn out to be so much like that slime ball Snape? He just couldn't see it, but then again he didn't know her at all. All he had was this picture of her, and who was to say this picture hadn't got a spell on it to make her look more beautiful or innocent. But what if she did look like this? What if she was really this hypnotising? How could she use her looks to her advantage, she could have persuaded Dumbledore to clear her name, or managed to get Lupin to let her into the school as his "companion". What if she was still working for You-Know-Who and was plotting to kill Harry? It would not be the first time a Death Eater had gotten into the school with the intention of taking Harry to their master. 

The bell signalling the end of lunch and the start of their last lessons shattered Ron's thoughts.

**********

Ron glanced over at Hermione who was doing her homework next to him in the Gryffindor common room. They were the last two people sitting there. This was because they were waiting for Harry to come back from his Occlumency session with Snape. Hermione looked up and her eyes locked with Ron's. Hermione's eyes were a hazel brown and Ron could gaze into these eyes for all eternity, but they just weren't as amazing as Elda's were. Obviously he would prefer to be spellbound by Hermione (and he often was) because she was the one he loved more than anything else but he just couldn't get the image of Elda's hypnotising picture out of his mind. He still couldn't decide why she looked so amazing and settled for the fact it must have been a spell. They had found out that she was very clever and probably very capable of all sorts of image enhancing spells. 

He felt Hermione's soft, comforting touch on his hand. He looked up and smiled at her. She smiled back and she leant towards him, closing her eyes. Ron leant forward to and anticipated the touch of her warm lips on his, but that feeling never came. Hermione had become distracted and was looking toward the portrait hole in which a very worried Harry was standing, panting as if he had run a long distance very fast.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked him as he crossed the room and collapsed on one of the comfy chairs around the fireplace. Ron and Hermione went over to join him, sitting on the sofa next to him and waited for his breath to come back. When Harry felt he could talk easily again he looked up at both of them and gave them a look that said he had seen something that he really didn't want to have seen, let alone re-live it by telling them, but he felt he had to.

"Something happened in Snape's office during Occlumency. I broke into his memories, like I have done before a few times. I saw him looking at Elda when I broke into one of his memories and usually they last for a split second with a few scattered images. But just now, just now I saw something he really didn't want me to see. He was so angry when he realised what I had seen I just bolted." Harry put his head in his hands.

"What did you see Harry?" Hermione asked him. "How was this memory different?"

"Well, like I said the memories are usually just snippets and last for a few seconds but this memory…. It was a lot smoother." He paused as if he was trying to find the right words to describe the difference to this memory. "It was like watching a TV show."

"What's a TV?" Ron asked.

"Ok. Let me put it differently, it was like actually living a moment in time. It wasn't splintered or just a few moments it was one long flowing memory. Does that make any sense?"

"Yes Harry, I can see what you are getting at. This memory was in real time as though it was really happening there and then, it wasn't tampered with just a real memory."

"Yeah, kind of."

"So what was this memory off? Was it off Snape having some sort of fantasy about Elda?" Ron shuddered at the thought. "That would be seriously traumatising, or even worse him actually doing something with her!" Ron mock vomited into his hands but Harry didn't laugh, he just shook his head.

"No Ron this is serious. Please I need you to just listen and not to interrupt, you have to hear what I have to say." Ron and Hermione nodded and Harry started telling them about what he had seen.

"I found myself in a circle of hooded figures all standing in what looked like a deserted field in the dead of night. They were all looking at the 4 figures in the middle of the circle. I looked too. I saw two large figures holding up a smaller one in between them. On of the larger figures forced the sleeve of the smaller persons robes up past the elbow on their left arm, then it was pushed roughly so that their arm faced the forth figure, who was standing a few meters away. Then the forth figure spoke in a high, cruel voice. 'You have proved your loyalty on all levels and now I will give you my gift that will fully make you one of us.' A woman's voice then muttered 'thank you my lord.'  The forth figure then took his wand out of his robes with his long pale fingers. He pointed it at the arm that was facing him and roared and incantation. There was an ear-piercing scream that made my blood churn. The arm now had the dark mark imprinted onto it. A long white finger touched this mark and it went jet-black. The same pale hand pulled up another hooded figures left armed robes to reveal another jet-black dark mark. Then the cold voice said 'Rise my child and great your new family.' The middle figure rose and as she did her hood fell off. She looked over at me and I saw a young lady with big brown eyes and short, spiky, electric blue hair with white tips grinning from ear to ear as the circle applauded her. Then Snape cut me off from this memory and as soon as I had realised what I had seen I ran."

Ron and Hermione sat there silently waiting for a sign that they were allowed to talk.

"This, this girl that I saw, I am sure it was Elda Lukin. And the thing that was happening, the ceremony, I think it was inducing her as a-a-a Death Eater!"

Hermione spoke. "So, Elda was a Death Eater and obviously so was Snape. That's interesting."  

---So people, what do you think? Working out how to write the memory gave me a lot of grief. So, review! Please!---


	7. Chapter 7: The Christmas Holidays

Finally chapter 7!

I have been stuck on this chapter for over a year and now its done

I did write it a while a go but then I lost it, so I stopped writing this story, but a review I got the other day encouraged me to continue and here we are!

I shall stop boring you with my terrible babbling and let you read… enjoy!

**Chapter 7: The Christmas holidays**

The next morning the Gryffindor Common Room was unusually quiet. It took Ron a few moments to realise that this was due to the fact that it was the first day of the Christmas holidays. He slumped down in the comfiest chair and stretched. It was nice to have some time to him self, nice when it was quiet. But he also missed spending time with Hermione, one on one. He had hoped before they knew what Elda was, that when they found out she would pay him more attention. But there was no chance of that now they knew she was a Death Eater. Hermione would be spending even more time trying to find out everything about her and also would be spying on Remus and Elda to try and find out what she was up too. The door from the dormitories creaked open and Harry came to sit next to Ron.

"Hi" said Harry in a very flat tone.

"Hi Harry, are you alright?"

"Err… yeah, I just keep seeing that memory over and over and Elda grinning like a maniac. I couldn't sleep last night. It was like that image was imprinted on the inside of my eyelids, every time I closed my eyes there she was…" Harry looked down at his feet.

Ron decided to stop talking about this subject as it was bothering Harry. Ron and Harry sat in silence for a few minuets, nether of them knowing what to say to the other.

"Hello you two." Hermione said cheerfully as she entered the Gryffindor common room. "What's happened? You two are awfully quiet."

Harry explained to Hermione about how he couldn't sleep as he kept seeing Snape's memory of Elda's induction.

"Oh Harry, I am sorry. Maybe we should ask Madam Pomfrey if you could have a dreamless sleep potion."

"No," Harry insisted. "If I do then Dumbledore will find out that I am having nightmares and he will think it's got something to do with Voldemort again."

Ron and Hermione both decided not to say anything to this and kept silent. Just then Ron's stomach gave a loud grumble. "Hey, lets go down to breakfast, I'm staving."

"Yes, we heard" Hermione said to Ron, who just pulled a face at her and headed to the portrait hole.

"Hey," Hermione nudged Ron with her elbow, causing him to spill some of his drink.

"Careful Hermione."

"Sorry, but look at the teachers table."

"Er…why?" Ron asked, very confused.

"Just look."

Ron looked at the teachers table. Most of the usual teachers were there, but there were a few spaces. He assumed that they too had gone away for Christmas. "What are we looking at? Are we supposed to be surprised that some teachers have a life outside of Hogwarts and are away for Christmas?"

"Lupin's not there." said Harry simply.

"Exactly!" Hermione whispered.

"So what? Maybe he's not eating breakfast today, or maybe he has a life other than his teaching one. You know, like the life that involves _the order_."

Hermione glared at Ron. "That might well be true but Snape's not here either and I will bet anything that neither is Elda."

Ron glared back. "Snape is also part of _the order _Hermione and if Lupin's not here why should Elda be?"

"Yes but how do know that Snape and Elda aren't doing things with other _Death Eaters_?"

"We don't." Harry said. "But if they are there isn't anyway we can really find out at the moment anyway, maybe we should just enjoy the holidays without worrying about Elda or Snape being round every corner of the castle."

Hermione scowled at them but said no more on the matter.

Ron and Hermione sat by the lake wrapped up in winter clothing and around each other to keep warm. Ron sat there in bliss, Hermione in his arms, and tried to remember what life was like without her. All of that seemed pointless now. He could see them being together for all eternity and he liked the thought of it, he could think of nothing better. Hermione stirred so she could get closer to Ron and sighed happily.

"Isn't this much nicer than sitting in the library or spying on people Hermione?"

"Mmm." Hermione agreed. "Oh that reminds me I have to find out where Snape, Elda and Lupin have all gone, thanks Ron!" she got up and started to head towards the castle. Ron grabbed her arm and she looked back. "What is it Ron?"

"I wanted to spend some time with you, you have been doing so much research recently and I've been missing you."

"Oh Ron stop being so silly! You see me all the time! This is important, what they are doing may be jeopardizing Harry's life. Do you really want to see Voldemort get his hands on Harry?"

"No." Ron muttered at the floor.

"There we are then." She walked of and Ron looked dejectedly down at the cold hard ground. "Come on Ron! There's no reason why you can't join me." Hermione called back to him.

Ron sat, watching Hermione as she scribbled on a piece of parchment. He had his head resting on his hand and a look of utter boredom on his face.

"Hermione? How do you expect to find out where they are? No-ones going to tell us even if they did know. They're probably on some business for the order, and you know we can't ask about that in letters. Hermione? What are you doing?"

"Shush Ron!"

Ron grumbled to himself and gazed around the common room. Hardly anyone was around, they were all out enjoying themselves in Hogsmeade or in the grounds. He saw some students sat in armchairs by the fire, chatting to each other and two seventh years looking very involved in wizard chess. Ron wondered where Harry was. He would probably be better company than Hermione right now, which was saying something, as Harry was being a mardy sod at the moment.

Almost as if he had heard Ron's thoughts Harry walked through the portrait hole. He looked dejected and he didn't notice Ron and Hermione sitting at their table in the corner, until Ron called him. He turned and slowly plodded toward them, eventually sitting in a seat next to Ron.

"What's up mate?"

"Nothing"

"Doesn't look like nothing to me Harry." Ron said, looking worried. He looked at Hermione for some support, but she was still engrossed in whatever she was writing. Ron sighed and carried on. "Come on, you can talk to us, can't you?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Its lots of things. Voldemort being back, not knowing what he's going to do next, finding out about Elda Lukin, worrying about lessons and getting NEWT work done, Cho…" Harry stopped and cleared his throat. "I've just got a lot on my mind that's all and I'm not feeling very festive."

"Well, maybe we can find a way the cheer you up! What do you think Hermione?" Ron looked over at Hermione who was sucking the end of her quill apparently in deep thought. "Hermione!"

_"What is it Ron?"_

Harry now looked over at Hermione, puzzled. "What exactly are you doing?"

"Oh," Hermione looked up, surprised to see Harry there. She put her hands over her parchment protectively. "N-nothing really Harry. Just making some notes."

"On what?"

"This and that, I'll go put it away now." Ron and Harry watched Hermione walk towards her dorm.

"She wouldn't tell me either." Ron told Harry. "Dunno what it's all about, but I'm guessing it's got something to do with Snape, Lupin and Elda."

Harry frowned. "Hermione?" he asked, once she had returned to her seat. "Your not still trying to figure out stuff about Elda Lukin are you?"

"Well…" Hermione fidgeted.

"Oh just give it a rest would you! It's the holiday's stop waiting your time on that and spend some time with Ron for goodness sake. You two have been faffing around for so long and now you're together your ignoring him! Your right Hermione, I don't understand women at all."

Hermione went red. "Harry, Ron and I are concerned about your safety and I'm sure he would agree that its much more important than anything else. And I _do _spend time with Ron! I'm spending time with him now aren't I?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" Harry roared. He too was going red. "There's nothing you can do to find out about what they are doing, so stop wasting your time doing it! How do you think it makes me feel knowing your throwing away your holidays an account of me? It makes me feel bloody awful! If you want to make me feel better then cheer up Ron, he's looking more gloomy than I am."

Throughout the argument Ron had slid further and further down his chair, and now he was practically under the table. He peered over the edge of it, as though he was afraid of being hit by a stray retort. He was afraid Hermione would have a go at him because Harry thought he was upset about not seeing her enough. In truth he was, but he wasn't sure that Hermione wanted to hear it.

Both Hermione and Harry were staring at him and he wasn't sure whom to look at. He settled on looking at the wall between them both. He was sure the few people actually in the common room were now looking at the three of them. It had gone very quiet.

Harry broke the silence. "I'm going to go have a fly on my broom, you can come and join me if you like Ron."

"Um, yeah. I might be along in a bit."

Ron watched Harry leave, as did most of the other people in the room. Then, as he had no excuse not to, looked over at Hermione. She was looking at him with concern, which surprised him. He expected her to fly at him.

"Is that true Ron?"

"Is what true?"

"That you don't feel I'm spending enough time with you?"

"Um… well… yeah it is."

"Oh." Hermione looked down at her feet and shuffled them a bit. "I'm sorry." She mumbled. Then she looked up at him. "So what would you like to do then?"

Ron frowned. He wasn't really sure he just thought they should be spending time alone together. He had wanted to be alone with her for so long, but now he realised he wasn't sure what he wanted to do with her.

"I don't really know," he told her. "I guess I just thought it would be nice for us to be alone together, and just do what we were comfortable with."

"Hmmm. Alright then. If that's what you want Ron."

"Really?"

Hermione smiled at him. "Of course. Anything for you."

---Hopefully now I've started again I shall continue writing, so you wont have to wait another year until my next chapter!---


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